I'd say that casting a spell is functionally no different than making any other form of attack. If Character B manages to notice Character A in time (i.e., beats A's Hide Check with his Spot Check) he can use the declared Readied action. Generally, a new Hide Check is only required after you do something to attract notice.

Can a caster snipe? Why not? There isn't much mechanical advantage to be had in doing so, but if a player wants to invest the skill ranks to make it worthwhile I say let them.

Out of random curiosity, I wonder if an Arcane Trickster could Sneak Attack with Meteor Swarm. If so, how many would take the SA damage? Just those hit or those in the affected area?

Hrm...I guess if they were caught flat footed? I don't know, but I think sneak attack is supposed to represent the ability to strike with precision to deal extra damage? I guess it's hard to be precise with a meteor?

I have a quick question as well, RE: 4E.

I have a Genasi with Extra manifestation, so he's wind and storm, but you can't get dual until epic tier. When I switch manifestations does the resistance/defense also change along with encounter power?

I have a Genasi with Extra manifestation, so he's wind and storm, but you can't get dual until epic tier. When I switch manifestations does the resistance/defense also change along with encounter power?

First off, you enchant each side separately, right? So, if the Parrying ability is put on one side, and Defending is put on the other, can the wielder use each side at once, or only on the main hand side?

Secondly, when you designate one side of the weapon as being the main hand, and the other as being the off hand, can you change that? And how often? To illustrate, if I have shock as the main attack on a two-bladed sword, and thundering as the off hand attack, can I switch it up, and does it require an action?

Relevant in respect to UMD and casting attribute; a divine scroll will require an appropriate wisdom score (all core divine classes being wisdom-based). How about an arcane scroll ? A scroll with a bard-only spell will be charisma dependent, but what about a scroll with a wizard/sorcerer spell (assuming the scroll's caster level is high enough for a sorcerer to be casting that spell) ?

That would be Intelligence-based, unless the spell was Sorcerer only (there are a few).

Sorcerer-only spells must be Cha-based, that's clear. But I'm wondering about a wiz/sorc spell with the scroll's caster level being (spell level *2) - which could be a sorcerer scroll.

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Why? Wizards get access to the spell sooner.

Yes, they do. But the warlock in the upcoming game has a higher charisma than intelligence - and if he can choose, he'd skip one UMD roll (emulate an ability score). Given the low level (and hence, lack of skill- / ability-boosting items), that skipped roll would significantly increase his success rate.

Sorcerer-only spells must be Cha-based, that's clear. But I'm wondering about a wiz/sorc spell with the scroll's caster level being (spell level *2) - which could be a sorcerer scroll.

Yes, they do. But the warlock in the upcoming game has a higher charisma than intelligence - and if he can choose, he'd skip one UMD roll (emulate an ability score). Given the low level (and hence, lack of skill- / ability-boosting items), that skipped roll would significantly increase his success rate.

It would still be a Wizard spell, regardless. Scrolls and similar items default to Wizard/Cleric unless the spell doesn't appear on those spell lists (or it was specified to be made by a different caster). Then it defaults to Druid/Sorcerer/Bard, then to whatever the spell is from/for. It's in the DMG, but I can't recall a page number off the top of my head (in the magic items chapter, though).